City: Andy Romano Beachfront Park should stay traffic-free

Ormond Beach Observer
News

Comments made by County Council Chair-elect Jeff Brower at a recent luncheon hosted by the Sons of the Beach have made the City Commission worried about the future of Andy Romano Beachfront Park’s traffic-free zone.

City Commissioner Dwight Selby brought the issue to the rest of the commission at its Dec. 15 meeting, referencing Brower’s remarks in a Daytona News-Journal article regarding the restoration of beach driving in areas where it is currently prohibited. Today, Andy Romano’s traffic-free area spans from about Milsap Avenue to just north of Harvard Drive.

“I think it’s great that if you go to the park, you can walk right out on the beach and you can get right to the water and you don’t have to worry about cars,” Selby said.

The commission agreed. Partington said the traffic-free zone has been “wildly successful and a huge benefit to that park,” as it has aided in the rebirth of Restaurant Row and given parents an area to take their children to the beach without stressing about cars.

Commissioner Troy Kent, whose zone includes the park, said it would be a “recipe for disaster” to allow cars in that section. He told the story of a little boy who he saw get injured by a car on the beach 16 years ago, an event that changed his view of beach driving.

“I support beach driving, but I did not want to witness what I witnessed before,” he said.

Brower was vocal about his advocacy for beach driving throughout his campaign for County Council chair. In a video from Aug. 29 on his campaign’s Facebook page, Brower said he was looking forward to restoring beach driving in the Main Street area of Daytona Beach.

Partington directed staff to write a letter to the county manager and county council requesting the city park’s traffic-free zone be upheld.

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